Machine for cleaning rice



. J. VAN vALKlNBuReH.

Rice Cleaner Patented Aug. 21, 1860.

W L m FICE.

JAMES VAN VALKINBURGH, OF BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK.

MACHINE FOB. CLEANING RICE.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 29,733, dated August 21, 1880.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES VAN VALKIN- BURGH, of Binghamton, in the county of Broome and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Machine for Cleaning Rice; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical central section of a case or mortar and framing, which supports the same, the screw being fitted within the mortar, and not bisected. Fig. 2 is a detached inverted plan of the screw.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the two figures.

This invention relates to certain improvements in that class of rice-cleaning machines in which a rotary screw is employed within an ellipsoidal mortar and arranged in such a way that the rice, by the rotation of the screw, will be subjected to an action within the mortar favorable to the removal of the pellicle or inner coating which encompasses the kernels or grains and which is not removed during the hulling operation.

Two practical difficulties have been encountered in all attempts to clean rice with the screw and mortar, viz; lst, leaving a portion of the grain lying dormant at the bottom of the mortar entirely uninfluenced by the action of the screw and consequently unoperated upon, except to be heated and broken by the continual pressure upon it throughout the entireprocess of cleaning the contents of the mortar. "The quantity thus injured and uncleaned, in each operation, is suiiicient to render the whole unmerchantable. 2nd. In giving the rice a uniform motion in passing under the screw and turning in the mortar thereby subjecting a portion of the rice to a greater amount of friction than is necessary for cleaning it, while another portion remains but partially operated upon. These difficulties have not, so far as I am aware, been obviated by any of the machines hitherto devised, and the object of the within described invention is to overcome the difficulties above set forth and to this end I construct the flanches of the screw in such a manner as to perform a threefold function: lst, subjecting the rice to the friction necessary to cleaning it; 2nd, to clear the grain from the bottom of the mortar by a steady indirect outward pressure applied in such a manner as not to injure the rice by breakage, as is done by other devices used for a somewhat similar purpose; 3rd, to give the entire contents of the mortar a continuous and uniform movement upward on the outside and downward in the center, thus subjecting the whole mass to the same amount of friction and cleaning it in a superior manner. The spiral flanches in pei'- forming their functions are materially assisted by a peculiarly shaped step attached to the bottom of the mortar.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct my invention I will proceed to describe it.

A (F ig. l) represents an ellipsoidal mortar, which is fitted in a suitable framing, B, and provided at its bottom with a Hap or valve, C, connected to the hopper by a hinge or joint, c, and retained in a closed position against the mortar by a catch or fastening, b.

D is a vertical shaft, the upper end of which is fitted in proper bearings, c c, in the framing B. The shaft being suspended by a shoulder, d, which rests on a lower traverse piece, e, of the framing, B.

On the lower part of the shaft, D, there is placed a screw, E, which is formed by a series of spiral flanches, f, on a hub, g, the latter being keyed at the end of the shaft, D, the lower end of the hub, g, being flush with the lower end of the shaft. The flanches, j", are gradually inclined and curved, each forming the section of a thread of a screw from 1 to Q-see Fig. l-the remaining portio-ns 3, being a quick or steep incline eX- tending down to the bottom of the hub, g, and projecting tangentially therefrom, as shown clearly in Fig. 2. The lower' portions, 3, of the flanches being much narrower than the upper portions included between the Figs. 1 and 2.

On the upper and inner surface of the flap or valve, C, there is a projection, t, which forms a step for the shaft, D. This projection has a concave exterior and is perfectly horizontal at its upper end, on which the lower end of the hub, g, and shaft, D, bear lightly, or run closely to it. The form of the step, it, is clearly shown in Fig. l, and its upper surface is about equal in diameter to that of the lower end of the hub, g, not including the lower parts, 8, of the flanches. This will be understood by referring to Fig. 2, in which the form of the hub proper is indicated by dotted lines.

The parts, 3, of the lanc'hes, f, gradually recede from their outer ends inward or toward the periphery of the hub, as shown by the part included between 4 and 5, and these latter parts are below the upper parts which are included between the points 1 and 2. The flanches and hub may be all cast in one piece.

The operation is as follows: The shaft, D, is rotated by any convenient power, and the rice within the mortar, A, by the rotation of the screw, E, is forced downward in the center and upward at the outside, the rice being cleared from the bottom of the .mortar beneath the screw by a steady indirect outward pressure, produced by the lower parts, 3, of the ianches while the upper parts included between the points 1 and 2 give the downward pressure. The lower parts, 3, of the flanches also give an elevating or upward movement to the rice causing the whole mass to have an uninterrupted movement in the mortar, and preventing any crushing or breaking of the rice beneath the screw. This latter action of the parts, 3, of the lanches is materially enhanced by the step, h, which, in consequence of its concave exterior, assists the outward and upward movement of the rice beneath the screw. This uninterrupted movement of the rice renders the attrition suiiiciently great to effeet a thorough cleansing of the same, and at the same time no injury is done by breakage, and the whole mass is uniformly cleaned.

I am aware that various auxiliary means have been used in connection with a screw and mortar for cleaning the rice from under the screw. Flanches have been constructed in the bottom of the morta-r, but they failed entirely in accomplishing the desired object. Projectors have also been attached to the shaft under the hub which, while accomplishing the object of clearing the grain from under the screw, to a certain extent, failed to give the grain a steady upward pressure at the sides of the mortar, and the continuous uniform motion necessary during the operation of cleaning. They also, from their peculiar construction and the manner in which they operate, viz: forcing the rice outward by direct action while it is subjected to the greatest pressure under the lanches, are liable to break it.

In my invention the pressure necessary to clearing the grain from beneath the screw and elevating and turning it, is applied to the grain between the fianches, or while it is passing from one ianch to another, and while it is subjected to the least pressure in passing under the screw.

I do not claim the employment or use of an ellipsoidal mortar and rot-ating screw for cleaning or scouring rice irrespective of the construction of the screw, for such device is quite old.

I am aware that Letters Patent were granted to Gr. F. Taylor June 23d, 1857, and to Vilson Ager Dec. 6th 1859 for rice cleaning machines; I do not claim anything seen in said machines, but

What I do claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. The employment of the device E, when constructed with spiral flanches f, which are set tangentially on a hub (g,) which is provided with steep inclines, all in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

2. The deiecting step L, when made conical or concave around its circumference, and without spiral projections or ledges, in combination with a screw E, as and for the purposes described.

JAMES VAN VALKINBURGH.

lVitnesses:

B. GRoUsE, M. M. LIVINGSTON. 

